The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for treating waters contaminated with paint or organic solvent wastes, as well as other organic wastes. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for microbiological destruction of paint and solvent in contaminated waters wherein these contaminants are considered to be hazardous.
Worldwide, the use of solvent organic substances and petroleum distillation substances for the formulation of latex-based paints, degreasing, de-inking, and other industrial applications has resulted in the widespread use of these organic substances and very often in the contamination of waters used for cleaning equipment and surfaces, and groundwaters as the result of spills and leaking storage tanks and piping.
Disposal of wastewaters contaminated with paint or solvents presents a costly problem to many industrial facilities as they are classified as hazardous substances due to toxicity, flammability, corrosivity, or irritability. On site disposal of hazardous compounds is often desirable, however, presently accepted means of destruction is often cost prohibitive for the generator.
Biological degradation of these hazardous substances presents a cost-effective alternative to incineration of chemical/physical oxidation techniques.
Accordingly is an object of the invention to present an apparatus capable of biological destruction of the hazardous substances.
It is a further object of the invention to present an apparatus capable of simple, low cost operation for application on site for the biodegradation of these substances.
It is yet another object of the invention to present an apparatus that is capable of high rates of destruction of the substance.
It is yet a further object of the invention to present an apparatus that is modular and portable so that it may be simply relocated from site to site.
It is yet another object of the invention to present an apparatus capable of utilizing either anaerobic or aerobic micro-organism cultures for the rapid destruction of these substances.
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.